Rila Camp & the Mountains

August is the time of year when the disciples and followers of Peter Deunov gather in the Rila Mountains, as it is around the time of their solar New Year.

Filip has been going there every year since he was young, and this year he was there for the first weeks of August. It was a great opportunity for me to see what was happening there and to discover Rila.

I was there from the 1st to the 6th of August, and every day was an opportunity to hike and explore a little bit more of the mountains. Rila is quite famous for its high peaks and its Seven Lakes, and once you set foot there, you understand why. The landscapes are breathtaking, and hiking and sleeping there for a few days felt like a real gift.

I left Vegetarium with Mélusine and spent the first four days with her. It was a great way to get to know her better, grow closer, and spend time together before the end of her volunteering. We had a good and intense time together, talking a lot and laughing in the middle of the Paneurhythmy because we were completely lost at some point.

The way up was by lift, and I was so happy and excited about it, as always. Lifts remind me of family ski holidays, which are some of my favourite.

One morning, we did a big hike together, which was my best one so far. Our pace was quite different, but somehow it worked, and I really enjoyed her company. We made it to one of the highest peaks together, and it felt like we were on top of the world.

I could touch and walk on snow, which felt completely out of context because it was around 20°C outside and really sunny. We were supposed to just do the basic tourist hike, but at one point, it didn’t feel like enough anymore. Deciding to go higher was definitely our best choice. The view over the Seven Lakes was amazing. We felt like we were in a postcard, or in one of those TikTok videos where you can’t believe the place is actually real.

I did two more hikes after she left, and I was amazed by the landscapes. Before coming to Bulgaria, I somehow imagined it as a rather flat country, with hills at best. I’ve been very pleasantly surprised !

As for the camp itself, I can say that it was a hilarious — in a good way — and interesting experience. The people there were really welcoming, kind, and caring. The food was good too: simple, but tasty.

The nights were a bit cold, but we had plenty of blankets and clothes to put on to survive, haha. And it was really nice to wake up with the sun. I don’t think I’ve ever woken up this early so effortlessly !

Overall, it was a great experience, and I will only keep good memories from it.

Zoé

P.S. Going back to sleeping in a bed after this trip felt soooo good.